Upgrading an iPhone

The newest iteration of the Apple iPhone often doesn’t always transform the user experience offered by the last. Upgrading unnecessarily can mean throwing away money and even leverage.

When to Upgrade an Apple iPhone

Your cell service provider likely wants you to upgrade your iPhone every two years at minimum. The company earns on the up-sell to you, often in not obvious ways, and then earns again, often substantially, in however it re-purposes the older phone. A quick trade-up isn’t always the right move for the consumer, and even if you have to coordinate local iPhone repair from a Henderson repair service, it can be worth it.

The Features of the New Phone

Each new iPhone is more sophisticated than the last, but the feature gap has shrunk with each new iteration. Consider the Apple 6, which had a somewhat bigger screen, an improved camera, better battery life and a slightly faster processor. These are great changes for the technophile, but the average consumer needs consider carefully whether those changes were enough to pay another $100 or more or to lock themselves into their current contract for an even longer period.

The Great Value of Contract Leverage

Many people undervalue the importance of being in a strong negotiating position when it comes time to renew a cell service. When you upgrade, you’re often giving up that advantage. Perhaps the value difference between the new phone and the old one is enough for you. However, the average consumer will actually save money over the long-term by sticking with the phone that comes with the service plan throughout the entire term of that plan. Even if the phone requires a fix or two during that period, it can still be cheaper than paying for that two- or even one-year upgrade.